Mist
by Maven Le Fou
Summary: Vampire Hunter D X Witch Hunter Robin crossover, but tastefully done. DRobin pairing but in character for both. Something sinister is happening and it's up to these two to stop it....together....? IMPORTANT: FIRST FEW CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN REWRITTEN! I would
1. Chapter 1 Waiting in the Fog

DISCLAIMER: I do not own WHR or VHD. That much should be obvious…….because if I did, There would be at least one Robin/Amon romantic scene. Yup. Enough said.

A/N: I have not seen all of the WHR series so please forgive any errors that may occur because of that. Also, I try to be in character at all times. Had to compromise time setting, as VHD is set so far into the future. Robin (and also references to STNJ) have been brought further into the future but I have softened Earths condition a little. The world is still a bit grim by our standards but people and cities still thrive etc but the existence of both vampires and witches is recognised by all. People with special abilities (the so-called 'witches') are mistrusted by some, but for the most part if they keep their head down no one bothers them. These 'witches' are often recruited as vampire/bounty hunters as even they sometimes require specialised help….

Rain dripped off stray bits of her hair that hung wetly down her cheek. Robin was oddly dressed and looked old fashioned, Victorian almost in her burgundy and black. Young, to be sure, but sometimes if you looked at her from the side, you could glimpse something solemn and knowing in the corners of her eyes. If it had been up to her she wouldn't have come here at all but it was a pretty place to meet. Loud and crowded, the bar made for perfect coverage. Dim recollections of Harry's, her usual café of choice surfaced as she made her way through the masses. The bartender watched carefully as she wound through the masses the way a drop of dark ink slowly dribbles it's way down a colourful page. You could never be too careful these days and that girl smelled all too much like witch.

As more and more people escaping from the downpour outside crowded and shoved their way in Robin was squeezed out into a dark corner of the bar. Robin surveyed and found this position to be to her satisfaction. A clear view of the door and out of everyone's way.

D gave a quick look around causing rain-droplets to fly off the brim of his wide sun come any weather hat. Everywhere he looked was grey and wet and miserable. The fine layer of mist that hung everywhere was like a veil of suffocating gloom and even D, who was normally impervious to such trivial things felt like getting a drink and hunkering down indoors next to a fireplace.

"There's something not quite right about this blasted fog," cursed a voice that seemed to be coming from the exact spot where D stood astride his horse, and yet his lips never once moved.

"Yes, I feel it too," D answered quietly. In truth, he was talking to the parasite that lived in his hand, a useful parasite in some situations but annoying and blunt all the same.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'd sure like to see that sun at some point" said the voice again, emanating from D's left hand. "It's been fog and rain everywhere lately. I know it's winter but this is ridiculous!" D inclined his head in agreement. What Left hand said was true. He'd ridden hard through the night to get to the outskirts of what was formerly Tokyo by tonight and everywhere he went the roads had been empty and grey. Weather did not bother D but the lack of sunlight was making him uneasy. Without the sun to slow them down vampires had been able to strike quicker than ever before. If Left hand was right and something other than nature was controlling this blasted fog then things could only get worse.

Using her black dress to its full advantage Robin leant even further back into the corner shadows until only the tips of her shoes and her abandoned, no longer steaming cup of espresso were visible. On impulse she'd ordered the coffee but once it'd arrived she'd suddenly hadn't felt like drinking it. That was twenty minutes ago.

The double doors creaked open, and in stumbled a heavily wrapped up figure. One glance was enough to tell her that this was not the guy she was looking for. With a hunched over back and cheap, ripped clothes no way this was the famous vampire hunter. An unnaturally loud laugh that was rough around the edges and tiny, pinprick pupils told her the rest. A drinker and substance user. Definitely not the hunter then, who was, incidentally, now very very late. Any other person would have at least had a scowl on by now but Robin was not any other person. Scowling just wasn't in her nature. Brought up in an Italian monastery tardiness was frowned upon and this guy was already half an hour late; but it couldn't be helped. It was she that called him after all.

Robin closed her eyes and journeyed back once again to that night and what the old woman with the grey hairnet had said. They had come to her in search of help, they had heard she could find out…scry for them…but she had just closed her eyes like what Robin was doing now, and told them to go away. She could not help them, she said, what they had brought to her required a hunter. Someone with skill and experience. Robin remembered the dry feel of the woman's skin as she pressed her finger onto Robin's hand; a wordless request to stay after all the others had left. D, she had said. He's the best. I've worked with him before, and handed her a card of how to get in touch with this hunter. At the time Robin had not wondered about the woman's age, but now it crept into her mind. What kind of work had she done?…Scryed surely and not really 'worked' with him, as partners that is. She had to have been at least eighty years old. No way the hunter could be…Robin's eyes flicked open as she felt someone who radiated an inner power sweep through her senses and into the bar. Someone had arrived. He had arrived. She stood immediately and looked around but she could not see the person who had so quietly entered. But she could feel him. On the edges of her mind she could feel his, and someone watching would have seen her give an involuntary shudder.

A/N: Eeek yes that was really short but since this is a sort of re-do of the first chapter I can't really alter the length. Don't worry though, this is the shortest chapter out of all of them and my average length is three times this. Thank you for reading! Arigatou gozaimasu!


	2. Chapter 2 In the Primrose Paladin

Well, here it is-the second chapter. Thanks to anyone who took the time to give me a review-it was VERY MUCH APPRECIATED! Especially to AeryonSun who made some helpful comments- Actually, in a kinda response to that, I would like to apologise to the fact that my first chapter was quite short and a little slow (the short part at least was because it was my first fanfiction and that it looked longer on Word) Also I tend not to write in a fast-paced style like "this happened and then this happened" but take my time with the descriptive details. In fact, I was going to delete my story and redo most of it but then I got the emails that someone had already R&R it so I decided to just leave it. I might change the title at some point (come-on, it's not exactly original is it?) but we'll just have to see. Anyway, enough of my garbage-Here it is!

WAIT WAIT! (Sorry about this) But just as a warning I need to tell you that I have the tendency to switch from which viewpoint I am talking from. NOT JUST FROM ROBIN TO D but also from third person to first person. This makes for a slightly strange read but this way not only do you get a clear picture of what is happening from both D's and Robin's points of view but on a more personal level in first-person (using words like 'I' and 'me' and stuff instead of 'D thought this etc')

Chapter 2

In the Primrose Paladin

Through the rain D could just make out a weathered sign swinging from on top of a bar entrance. 'The Primrose Paladin" it read and underneath was a crudely drawn picture of a rose choking a knight of some kind. This was the place then. D sighed, something that he had been doing a lot of lately. Being immortal bore with it what had to be the worse case of been-there-done-that and now he was getting sick of it. So many vampires had died at his hands but still they plagued humans, feeding off them like nocturnal mosquitoes with intent to kill. He longed to just give it up and take a rest, but he couldn't. Not while they still existed. Not while they still hunted. A sound other than the normal wet sounds of rainfall shook him out of his muse. Sensing his discomfort, the horse he was riding had given a slight, mournful sounding whinny. Horse, for that was it's only name, gave a little shake of its head as if to say 'Don't continue on that thought path-its dangerous' and D felt himself agreeing. That kind of thinking only lead to a sense of hopelessness and despair. D shook his own head to clear such thoughts and reluctantly pulled up to the rails used to tie-up horses before demounting in one, swift motion.

Loud chatter and golden light poured out of the slit window near the top of the door and for the barest of seconds D hesitated about going in. From his dark attire and the long sword strapped to his back he would most likely be identified as a hunter as soon as he walked in the door. Many years in the business had earned D a widespread reputation as an extremely effective Dunpeal hunter- a reputation that might even have reached all the way to here and D had no wishes to be met yet again with the cries of "I know that 'unter! I know what 'e is-'eez a _Dunpeal_!" before being thrown out by villagers and being told to never come back and that _his kind_ weren't welcome here. Still, he was told that this is where the representative would be and the price was too good to pass up so really, he had no choice.

When he walked in Robin had not a single doubt that this was him. This was the hunter. After spending the last half hour wondering about what he would look like and imagining him to be a sort of puzzle comprising of pieces that were the other hunters she had seen, she had somehow deluded herself into thinking that she had actually already met him. What a joke. As soon as his boot rapped down on the worn wood floor all previous thoughts about his appearance flew right out the window. He was tall, very tall in fact, but he wasn't _big _as such. He was slim-waisted but also impossibly broad-shouldered; shoulders that were covered with some kind of black shoulder armour that curved up into two wicked looking spikes. Shoulders that were slightly slumped and seemed to carry upon them weight of the world. A long, black cape- typical for vampire hunters – flowed down to brush the floor and he also wore a chain around his neck with some kind of large blue gemstone inlaid into a medallion as the pendant. She couldn't see his face for it was obscured beneath the biggest black hat she had ever seen with a wide rim that dropped down over his eyes. She never once saw him glance around to look for her but instead headed straight for the bar. Confused, Robin's thoughts did a little reversal in her head. As well as being confused she was also a little annoyed. She thought that _he_ was meant to seek _her_ out… What was she supposed to do? Go to him? Fine, she thought and hitching up her skirts in order to manoeuvre her way out from the corner she made her way to the bar stool over which a tall, dark and armoured figure sat hunched.

As I walked in my senses told me that there was no one in here of consequence save for one who sat in the back corner, watching. The witch, It must be… or rather, the 'craft user' as they liked to call her. I could feel her eyes trained on me as soon as I set foot in the place. I glanced just under the brim of my hat, aware by experience that although no one could see me, I could see them. The entire bar had fallen silent but I felt no sparks of recognition. Something inside me felt comforted by this even though I told myself that it wouldn't have matter if I _had_ been thrown out. Careful not to knock into anyone I made my way to the bar and signalled for a drink. The bartender's eyes narrowed when he saw me but at the sight of the flash of gold in my hand he quickly hustled away to fetch me the ale.

"No one hear recognises you, that's a first eh?" My left hand commented, it's sarcastic whisper inaudible to anyone but me.

"It wouldn't have mattered if they had," I said quietly, "the witch would have known that I had arrived and in all likelihood would have followed me out."

"Heh," said Left hand. "Sure, but still-it must have been nice to be able to walk into a bar and not be then chucked out on your arse!" Left hand said, giving a quiet chuckle at my expense. I gave my left hand a slight squeeze, careful to drive my pointed nails into the place on my palm where I knew Left's face would have surfaced.

"Don't go and have a spaz now," Left spat out, apparently unaffected by my nails.

"I _know_ you were relieved."

"I was nothing of the kind," I said, telling myself that I spoke the truth.

"Admit it," scoffed Left. "You _are_ hurt. You've spent thousands of years saving them from getting sucked dry yet still these humans treat you like something the cat sicked up. Don't pretend that you're some kind of unaffected, noble protector of all. Your dad may have been a vampire but let me remind you that _your mother_ was a human as in the emotional creatures before you…" Right, I thought. Time to change tactics.

"I am getting rather sick of all this nonsense you keep spouting. In you old age you are getting more and more annoying and less useful- Perhaps it is high time I cut you off," I said mildly, as if making light conversation instead of employing a death-threat. Usually this would shut Left up but instead he just kept talking.

"I'm your parasite-I'm allowed to say what I like. The fact is _you_ were relieved. I could feel your muscles relax. You can't fool me, I live on your hand you know."

"As if I could forget," I said, gritting my teeth. This earned another chortle from Left.

"You are really easy to get to, you know that?" he asked. I didn't reply-it was rhetorical question. In fact I was so busy ignoring Left and concentrating on not thinking about what he'd just said that I almost missed the approach of the witch. I had barely a moment to compose myself and arrange my face into an impassive mask before her hand tapped twice on my shoulder.

I watched him from behind for a moment before drawing his attention. Now that I was ext to him I could feel something, something…sad? The aura of this hunter must have been extraordinarily strong if he was affecting me like this. Shaking my head to clear it I gave the hunter two short taps on the shoulder. He gave a jump as I did. Man, I thought. This guy was way too tense. He turned around and then it was my turn to give a little jump. He had the most beautiful looking eyes of anyone I had ever seen. Long, slightly slanted and a rich, chocolate colour they regarded me impassively as I stood frozen. His face was so pale, and so finely boned that…

"'Ere ya go," someone said, jolting me out of my trance. It was the bar tender delivering the hunter's drink. The old metal stein thudded as it hit the table, sloshing its murky contents over the table. The bartender stared at the hunter expectantly. For a moment I thought the bartender expected the hunter to wipe up what he'd just spilt and, forgetting my annoyance at the hunter's lateness, I was about to give an indignant reply on his behalf but then I realised that the bartender was simply waiting for his pay. I didn't see where it came from or if it had always been there but the hunter just opened his hand and let a gold sovereign fall from his hand and land with a satisfying 'clunk' on the table. I glanced quickly from the hunter to the coin in surprise. The drink must have only cost a couple of copper bits. The bartender took the coin without a word and disappeared through a swinging door into another room, presumably to get the hunter his change and a cloth to wipe up the spillage. Sub-consciously I slid into a seat beside that of the hunter's, my skirt catching on one of the many ridges and spikes along his leg armour. I froze again before quickly stealing a glance at his face. He didn't so much as look down or twitch. Feeling a little embarrassed I reached down, unhooked the skirt of my dress from whatever it was that it had caught on, slid uncomfortably into my seat and proceeded to stare at the swinging door. It wasn't until the bartender had been gone for a while that I realised he wasn't coming back. While I had been staring idiotically at the door the hunter must have taken a drink although I hadn't actually heard him because when I glanced back at the bar the level of drink had gone down considerably.

"You are the witch," he said "the one they sent to meet me." The way he said it it wasn't a question, more like a statement he already knew to be true. His voice was low and smooth yet strangely toneless.

"I am," I said as confidently as I could, looking not at him but instead at the dark patch where the drink, presumably ale, had soaked into the shabby, unvarnished wood. I would not risk looking directly at the hunter until I had got more used to him lest I be mesmerised by his eyes…

"Where is the money?" he asked abruptly, interrupting my thoughts. My head shot up at his words. Big mistake. I felt myself colouring ever so slightly under his expressionless, yet intent gaze.

"You're staring," I heard someone say, but there was no one else around and although the words had come from his direction they hadn't come from him. Admittedly I felt a little exposed under his intense gaze and so turned away to pat my pockets under the cover of rummaging around for the money, perfectly aware that it was in my left pocket and had been so ever since I'd placed it there ever so carefully there in the morning.

"Here it is," I said, placing the little velvet bag on the bench. I almost felt a physical weight lift of me as he moved his gaze to the money bag and picked it up, testing it's weight. Careful to keep my head lowered I didn't see him check the money but he must have been satisfied with it for he placed it in the inside of his cloak and when his hand withdrew it was empty.

"What is it that I am meant to do?" he asked. I gave a gulp and looked around.

"Now may not be the best time to discuss that," I said.

He turned to look at me. "I see," he said. And in one gulp he drained the rest of his drink and stood up, indicating wordlessly to me that it was time to go. I paused. Orders were to not leave unless I was sure that the hunter was of good character. Was he? I didn't know. He had shown no sign of greed nor indecency since I had first met him, which, honestly speaking, was only a couple of minutes ago. I closed my eyes, aware that I must look quite strange standing there with my eyes closed, and reached out with my magic to feel his aura. I gasped. I hadn't had to reach for it at all. It was all around me and far more powerful than I could have imagined. Powerful, and ancient. For a moment I was in danger of being swamped by its sheer strength but, with much difficulty, I gained back control. Now, able to explore at my will I delved in to see his character. Not too far, for the further in you wanted to go the more strength of mind you needed and I could barely manage the outer edges as it was. The clearness of his aura showed no traces of trickery or deceit. He had no intention of harming me or of running away with the money. I smiled. It was as I suspected, the hunter was a honourable if not very lively man. Opening my eyes I found that very little time had passed since I had closed them. I glanced at the hunter who was standing a couple of paces away closer to the door and found that he was looking not at me but away somewhere with a vacant look on his face. A relaxed expression that disappeared almost as soon as I got time to register it. Then it was back to the expressionless mask it had been before. Albeit a very beautiful mask. His eyes flicked back as if he had felt me watching him.

"Follow me," he said.

"I, I'm coming," I called after him, somehow afraid that he was going to leave without me despite what I'd seen whilst aura-delving. He didn't even turn around but just kept striding towards the door. One advantage I had was that I was a lot smaller than him and so found it easier to make my way through the crowds. By the time he had reached the door I had caught up and so we both stepped forward at the same time into the downpour outside on our way to god knows where.


	3. Chapter 3 The Sign of the Three Lemons

FORENOTE: PLEEEEEEEEASE REVIEW! Heh, I just like getting reviews!

Thought that I might also mention that in actual fact this is story is a mystery + action/adventure + romance! But they only let you put it under two genres ;-(

Also, the part I said about having random anime characters pop-up has been partly abolished (at least post-poned) as I didn't plan for the story to be so, well, serious.

THANKS TO ANYONE WHO REVIEWED! IT WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. Also to Elf- do you actually like it? Couldn't really tell. Anyway thanks for the advise on changing POVs. I could tell the difference but that's probably just 'cause I was the one who wrote it (duh).

Anywhoooo, After I sampled writing in both the first and third person I've discovered that although I really like both, for the purposes of this story (and on the recommendation of my friends and reviewers who have pointed out that it's quite confusing for them) I've decided that it would be best if it was written entirely from only one style so here is the third chapter written ENTIRELY IN THE THIRD PERSON!

Chapter 3

The Sign of the Three Lemons: Part 1

Rain was hammering down onto D so he could only imagine what it must have been like for Robin. In general humans were weak, fragile creatures that tired easily and this one was only a child. They'd been riding now for a solid hour in the middle of this blasted downpour that had turned the ground underfoot into slippery, squelching muck. For every stride the horse took a sucking noise as it's hooves pulled away only to be followed by a wet 'splat' sound as they hit the ground again. Dimly D recalled a time where the roads in this part of Japan would have been busy, six-lane-wide concrete monstrosities, but now all that remained were wide dirt tracks that cut their way through the fields on either side like winding slime trails left behind by giant snakes. Strangely enough the rain didn't seem to affect the grim fog that persistently curled around the horse's sides in clutching, grey wisps, seemingly reluctant to let them go anywhere.

Sparing a glance away from the treacherously pot-holed excuse for a road they were currently riding on he looked down to check up on the small, drenched and shivering figure in front of him. Within seconds of their exit from the bar the rain had turned her burnished gold hair into many sodden, brown gold strands that hung limply although for the most part they were still held up by the bands of dark red material wrapped around her strange buns that stood out on either side of her head like rounded handlebars. When he'd first saw her he'd almost jerked back in surprise, he couldn't believe that they'd sent someone so young. She couldn't have been more than sixteen or so, her entire life up to now was but a candle flicker compared to the seemingly undying fire of his. At first he was unbelieving and scrutinised her face to see if there were any telltale signs that she was someone merely imitating youth or under a glamour… but nothing had shown up. It was only at Left's prompt that he realised he'd been still staring, desperate for a sign that she was someone different, someone older. He generally preferred to travel alone but on the very rare occasion when asked to by his employers he would take on a 'passenger'. Most of the people he had travelled with over the years had been like himself, trained to hunt and used to the rough life on the road. When he had been told by the messenger that for this particular job he'd need to be willing to take a 'partner' (for that is how they referred to his passenger) he'd nearly declined but the messenger then went on to say that his 'partner' would be a witch-hunter and a craft-user. This had piqued his interest as, in all his long years he'd been a hunter he'd never worked with a craft-user before and if this particular case had anything to do with his previous case then magical powers could prove to be useful. The price offered of $10'000'000 as a down payment upon the meeting of their representative, and then another $25'000'000 at a later date had sealed the deal so now here he was, riding in the rain with a _child_ on his horse. He wasn't sure that he was comfortable working with this 'Robin' as she called herself. Children obviously weren't at all suited to his kind of work and would only slow him down. Admittedly she wasn't really a child but a young lady, but life-experience-wise to D she might as well have been all of two.

They hadn't been riding long before it had started to rain even heavier, before that moment he wouldn't have even thought it possible. In fact, the rain was so thick that it seemed like they were under a waterfall and were in danger of being washed away at any moment. Water ran into two swift flowing gutters that edged the street but it wouldn't be long before they too overflowed onto the main road. Robin gave a shudder that drew D's attention back to the problem at hand-getting her out of the rain. His cloak was surprisingly light even when wet and so billowed uselessly around Robin, shielding her neither from the wind nor rain as she hunched her shoulders over more in a vain attempt to keep the cold at bay. D's expression hardened and his grip on the reins tightened. If he didn't get a move on she would certainly come down with something nasty, which would slow him down even more in the long run. His original plan had been to take the main road all the way up to the Lemon Tree Inn little more than half an hours ride away, even in this rain. What he hadn't accounted for was the crumbling of the access bridge that ran over the local stream, which could now be more accurately called a fully flooded, brown torrent. Under different circumstances he would have taken the jump but the horse was already tired and, slight as she was, having the girl onboard meant that it was carrying more weight than usual. Seeing as that had been the _only_ way to get on the main road he had been forced to take the side route which was no way near as direct and took about twice as long. A shadowy but solid looking object loomed up ahead and D instinctively swerved to avoid it causing the horse to slip. This motion caused Robin to wake from her cold-induced stupor and bang her head painfully into D's chest armour. She gave a vicious yank on the horse's mane that her fingers were twined into to try and puller herself up which caused the poor horse to panic even more as it started to slide and skid dramatically. Years and years of riding meant that D reacted instantaneously, scooping Robin in his arms and throwing his weight to the right as the horse lurched dangerously towards the left. The horse gave another whinny of fear as its hooves scrabbled over the ground trying to find purchase. At last it must have caught on something for he felt the horse heave underneath him as it strained to right itself. Releasing Robin he pulled the reins up short to let the horse calm down and to give himself some time to think. Despite being half mechanical the horse was tiring and though he didn't like to admit it, so was D. There was something about all this blasted rain and fog and general grey conditions that just sapped the energy out of him.

Robin was cold. So cold that her legs had long since given up feeling so that she didn't even feel the horse turn and slip underneath her until it was too late. Without anytime for even a gasp of surprise or horror she was thrown violently into D, her head striking his armour with such force that it sent shockwaves of nausea through her brain. She would have slipped off too were it not for D's arm holding her upright as he used his own weight to right the horse. At last they must have found balance as the world stopped spinning. Well, it was still spinning for Robin but not quite as bad. She felt dizzy and also like she was going to be sick but knew enough to know that shaking her head to 'clear it' would only make things worse.

"Wha…" Robin's voice failed her as her own stomach rebelled against her and her cheek puffed out as if to throw up although nothing actually happened. She tried again.

"What happened?" she demanded, the pain of being thrown into D making her a little annoyed and wanting to place some fault with him even though she knew that in fact he wasn't to blame.

"Something was blocking our way. I swerved. You fell." The way he said it was like he was merely recalling uninteresting facts rather than giving an explanation.

"Well," Robin said, still a little cross, "couldn't you have.."

"No," said D, cutting right through her sentence. "Had I given you a warning the outcome would still have been the same. Also I had to react quickly to stop the horse from slipping completely and throwing us into the mud, which would have been uncomfortable to say the least. If we had hit whatever it was there is a real possibility that the horse could have been injured and we would therefore have ended up stranded in the middle of a rainstorm." Robin blinked, that seemed like an awful lot to try and take in, especially in her current state.

"Lets just get to wherever it is we're going," Robin said, her throbbing head making her uncharacteristically grumpy.

"Actually, there's no need," said D "we're already there." Robin looked up and saw what D himself had only just noticed. The thick fog that had completely blanketed them before seemed to have lightened up a little and far from being 'stranded' as D had just said, they were in fact only about 100m away from the entrance to an inn. A tall, weathered, but sturdy looking building stood just off the side of the road on a spare patch of ground. Even from here she could tell that it was a circular building but well fortified against the elements with thick weather-board plating and windows covered tightly with white shutters that looked grey in the current light, each emblazoned with a gaudily painted, vibrant green tree bearing what appeared to be three single, oversized lemons in a kind of logo. Robin gave a sort of half-hearted grunt. It didn't look like the greatest place she'd ever stayed in but at the moment she was just glad to have arrived.

Looking down from her place on the saddle Robin gave a little grimace. She hadn't realised just how high she was off the ground and was unsure if she would be able to get off the horse by herself in her current condition. Luckily for her D was enough of a gentleman to help her dismount, wordlessly offering her his pale hand which, despite being wet, gripped strongly and literally lifted her off by itself. Once back on the ground Robin realised just how unsteady she was on her feet, having to grip the nearby rails to hold herself upright. D however, adjusted effortlessly to being back on the ground and immediately set about caring for his tired horse, ignoring his own needs in favour of the horse's as every good rider should. In fact, he did not even look Robin's way until the horse had been given clean water and fresh feed from a sack hanging on a nail beside the door. When he finally finished he seemed almost surprised to see her still standing there watching him, a surprise formed by years of journeying alone with no one to care for but himself and his horse. After having been fed and watered, the horse settled down to rest in the tiny stable near the back of the inn next to the vehicle stall and went into a deep sleep.

Seeing Robin's face in the brighter light cast by the flickering electric light in the wall made D realise just how pale and sickly she looked.

"Come," said D, not unkindly. "Let us get some rest inside." Right next to the North-facing wall was a strip of dirt that seemed to have somehow managed to stay solid underfoot so this was the way D and Robin chose to walk in order to make their way around to the inn's entrance.

Being greeted by a blast of warm, sweet, lemon-scented air was a welcome change from the constant battering of wind and rain outside. It took a little while for Robin to adjust but once she did she could see that this place was not an ordinary sort of establishment. Unlike most inns what had looked like a reasonable place to stay from the outside but was really dodgy on the inside this one's interior was actually far more attractive that what it first appeared to be. All that padding and thick walls seemed to have added to its warmth and sound-proofing, the howling wind and driving rain barely audible once the huge, double-panelled oak doors had closed behind them with a satisfying clunk. The front bar part of the lobby was, understandably near empty as it was getting quite late now and most patrons had already retired to the comfort and peace of their private rooms. D did a light sweep of the room with his senses but there was no one there except two old men sitting in the corner playing cards who, after a quick first glance paid them no mind. There was no one behind the desk to sign them in but this did not bother D as he had already booked two rooms in advance, foreseeing the need to have a secure place to discuss important matters and rest in tonight. Robin glanced towards the reception but followed D unquestioningly he strode past the desk and up a wide staircase and disappeared around a corner.


	4. Chapter 3 Part 2

Hiya, well, Firstly: here's the next instalment, which is actually just the second part of Chapter 3, The Sign of the Three Lemons which I hadn't quite gotten finished but still wanted to post something up.

Secondly: WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET YOU TO REVIEW? Come on guys, a couple of words will suffice (although the more the merrier and they would be much appreciated!)

Thirdly: I am sorry if some of you find my style of writing slow but when I start writing stories I'm generally in for the long haul so I like to start everything up carefully at the beginning and then build up to the climax near the end!

Fourthly: Just another reminder that I've only seen the first five episodes of Witch Hunter Robin (and that's the way it will stay until I can get my hands on some more) so I apologise for any inaccuracy etc etc. To fill the gaps in my knowledge I may also just make some stuff up ;-p

Chapter 3

The Sign of the Three Lemons: Part 2

The carpet was worn and bare but thankfully solid beneath Robin's feet as she trailed D who seemed to know exactly where he was going. It wasn't a very big inn but she had the feeling that with all the curved corridors looking exactly the same it would be easier than you might think to get lost. The air still bore the sweet, lemon-scent but it had dimmed as Robin had gotten used to it, the original freshness replaced by sort of background familiarity even though this was her first time inside. A few of the rooms they passed had 'Do Not Disturb' signs hanging up so although the inn seemed literally deserted there must have been some patrons present. There was something strange about just how silent the corridors were, no banging or loud talking going on in the rooms, just her own quiet footfalls somewhat muffled by the carpet, however the floor under D, she noted, was making not a sound. Robin gave a quiet sort of huff sound, her own footfalls were trained to be light but how a guy the size of D could move so silently crossed the border between skill and ability. He wasn't, (or at least didn't seem to be) trying to be quiet, he just naturally was. It wasn't long before they came to where they were going, well, Robin hadn't known where they were going but D had stopped in front of this particular door so this must have been it. It looked just like any one of the other doors, with the dull wood panelling and little brass plaque bearing the room number typical of medium-to-large type inns, the only noticeable differences being the three over-sized lemons engraved into the plaques (in reference to the inn's name), a small 'Reserved' sign hanging off the doorknob and a dent near the bottom where it seemed that someone before had kicked it, although whether in anger or merely by accident she couldn't say.

"Here," said D, producing a key from a pocket inside his cloak. "This is where we will stay tonight" and without any ceremony he opened the door and stepped inside. The greyish light of the outside glimmered around the edges of drawn curtains, throwing long, faint shadows onto the floor. Robin had but mere seconds to appreciate this unusual lighting effect before it was disrupted by D throwing on the lights which, after an ominous pause, crackled into life, flooding the room in a warm, golden glow. Near the curtains pressed up against the right wall was a bed covered with a fluffy yellow duvet blanket turned over slightly at the corner to reveal a smooth white interior and thick pillow that seemed very inviting to Robin's weary head. There was also a battered couch of some indeterminate colour between grey and beige, greige if you like, resting at the foot of the back facing the left wall and a door. D hadn't waited for the lights to start up but instead crossed over to the left end of this small room and silently opened the door to an even smaller, adjoining bedroom.

"This will be your room," D told Robin expressionlessly, quite plainly saying that she had no choice in the matter. "It is small but it will do for tonight," he said giving a slight indication with his head to look inside. Robin shrugged dismissively; it could be no smaller than the room she had slept in for many years at the monastery. Peering over, Robin was unable to see inside the gloomy room until the lights flickered on and lit up what was to be her bedroom for the night. It was small but cosy looking and comfortably furnished. A little white table leaned up against the opposite wall and the headboard of the bed (also white) backed itself onto the inner wall, the one closest to the first room that they had entered. Yellow drapes hung over the narrow window and someone had placed fresh lemon blossoms in a pretty blue vase on the desk in anticipation of a guest. The reserved sign and the flowers indicated that the rooms had been booked in advance… also something else was bothering her. Frowning slightly she turned to face D who was setting some water on to boil in a battered looking metal kettle, one of the few that still boiled water by the mere application of heat, a remnant from the past.

"You've been here before, haven't you?" Robin asked. "The way you knew where the light switches were and everything," she said, obviously jumping to her own conclusions. D finished with the kettle and turned to find her looking expectantly at him for an answer.

"Yes," he said simply. "You may have noticed how quiet it was in the corridor on the way here, the walls on the second floor are heavily insulated against sound and therefore eavesdroppers. The windows have two layers and are double glazed not only for warmth. That is why normal paying patrons are always assigned rooms in the bottom floor. I often come here when…" he gave a slight pause and trailed off. "When privacy and confidentiality are a priority." Robin nodded, that made sense. After a quick glance to check whether she was absorbing what he said D continued. "The second adjoining room means that there is space for a passenger and with this room being the only way in or out they would also be well protected." Seeming satisfied with his explanation D turned back towards the kitchenette and kettle, which was beginning to whistle softly, Robin noting with surprise that the ancient relic still worked.

"Passengers?" she inquired as casually as she could. After all D had seemed to very much be the loner sort who travelled and hunted alone. Another pause.

"I take on passengers, _partners_, when there is cause," he said evenly, but Robin was not so blind as to miss D's underlying message; 'I prefer to travel alone and only take on partners when I _have_ to. _You_ are no exception.' Robin nodded again to show that she understood what was really being said and that she would not get in his way, but D had already turned his back to her and was pulling out a wide ceramic bowl from one of the lower cupboards, his large frame having to bend in two to reach down far enough. He looked strange, Robin thought, and out of place in this small, cheerful yellow and pale green room. His armour belonged to a gothic style castle, his air of control and laconic way of talking more suited to a war chamber than an inn room. He seemed to move like a sedated wild animal, his normally expansive, powerful movements reduced to delicate, mundane operations like filling a kettle with water and opening cupboard doors. To tell the truth, although he still bore himself with utmost confidence to Robin it seemed that he had been more at home riding in the muck in the middle of a downpour than enclosed in this tiny space. Vaguely she wondered whether D had a home as such or not when a twinge from her leg reminded her that not only was it getting late and her legs hurt, but that she was stupidly still standing. Sinking gratefully down onto the couch she realised just how exhausted she was. Worse of all that nausea she had felt previously when she had hit her head riding with D had come back and was making her head begin to throb again. Had she been at home alone she would have propped her feet up against a table or chair but she felt that this was inappropriate to do in an inn, especially since her boots were so dirty. Despite the warmth in the air her legs and hands were still desperately numb- what they needed was a fire. Her pack was easy enough to find as it had been the only thing that D had brought up with him, seeming to need nothing for himself. She had carried it with her slung around her shoulder out of the Primrose Paladin but D had insisted that it be securely fastened to the back of the saddle for the ride. Anticipation of rain (though not an anticipation of the downpour that ensued) had prompted her to pack a waterproof outer bag for which now she was most grateful. The wet outer bag had worked better than expected and her things had remained perfectly dry, although the sopping bag itself was nowhere to be seen, presumably left in the stable along with the rest of the wet gear. Her bag was small, containing only the barest of essentials, so it didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. After rummaging around her numb fingers finally managed to close around the familiar, smooth curves of her glasses case.

D had stopped what he was doing and glanced out of the corner of his eye to see what it was Robin was doing rummaging around in her pack. When she finally stopped D was surprised to see her pull out a pair of glasses. A sight-impairment could be lethal on a hunt and D felt a twinge of annoyance that he hadn't been informed about it beforehand, although in all likelihood it would not have affected his decision. He frowned, wouldn't he have noticed if her eyesight had been bad? His trail of thought was abruptly cut off as he felt a burst of power come from Robin as she glared, now wearing the glasses, at the fireplace which promptly burst into flames.

"Is that your power?" D asked, now more than a little intrigued. Vampires disliked fire with a vengeance, this dislike second only to their hatred of holy water and sunlight. Crosses and running water were bothersome but any powerful vampire lord worth his salt could freeze running water and disfigure crosses if his will was strong enough. "Can you control fire?" Robin looked a little uncomfortable.

"I can create fire and I can aim it at something to set it alight but I can't actually _control_ it as such. It's not an extension of me or anything, once it starts its just like normal fire."

"I see," said D, sounding neither impressed nor disappointed by the news. "Fire is a powerful weapon against vampires and I have no doubt that it will be useful in times," D stopped as Robin began to sway on her feet and her hand came up to steady her head.

"Are you alright?" D asked, a flash of concern passing ever so briefly across his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Robin, sitting down heavily onto the couch. "Just a little woozy that's all." Another stab of dizziness struck and Robin was forced to place her head between her knees just like she had done when she was a child. Breathe deeply, she told herself. Breathe deep. D saw Robin bury her head between her knees and knew that something wasn't right. She had seemed a little unsteady before but he had assumed that it was from the ground shock you got after riding, not many people rode anymore but unsteadiness was a common symptom of complaint amongst those who tried it but were not yet used to the sensation.

"You are not fine," said D, covering the distance between them in two of his steps. Kneeling down he slid his fingers under her chin he lifted and tilted her face, forcing her to look up at him. Her eyelids were fluttering weakly and wildly like the heartbeats of a dying bird and she was obviously feeling nauseous. Gently D ran his left hand over the back of her head until he found what he was looking for.

"There's a slight bruise here," said a voice, the same one that had prompted D to stop staring at Robin when they were in the bar. D gave a slow nod; it was as he suspected- Robin had a concussion. Usually it would have been apparent immediately but the power she had used to light the fire must have set it off. D sighed. It was dangerous to ride with someone who had a concussion and worst of all, the child really did seem to be as fragile as she had first looked. Granted, her ability to light fires at will was a useful talent but it was not worth it if he had to care for her all the way. Somewhere in his mind D knew he was being unfair but at the moment he just didn't care. A concussed girl would need at least another day to recover, a day that he could not afford to lose.

"Robin," D said, his voice unusually soft in an attempt to sound comforting, unfortunately lack of practise made this a rather weak attempt. "Robin," he tried again, but there was still no response. Her eyes had closed and she wasn't responding. Gently he laid her down on the couch and poured some of the boiled water into a mug and mixed it with the icy stuff from the tap. Warm water tasted gross but it might be able to help.

"Here, drink this," he said, helping her sit up slightly so that she could drink. Whether she heard him or not he couldn't say, but she did drink some of the water she was offered which was a good sign, her eyes never once opening as her mouth found the rim of the cup by feel before plopping back down onto the couch.

"Would you like some more?" he asked, but the question went unanswered. It seemed that Robin had fallen asleep.

Robin felt herself begin the slow climb back to consciousness like a weighted diver struggling to break the water's surface. Even as she crawled closer to awareness her mind cast itself back to it's last memory. As soon as she had let go of that energy she had felt that something was wrong. Normally the bolt of energy would have passed quickly and easily from its source somewhere inside her to the target but this one had seemed particularly reluctant to leave. Instead it seemed to want to _drag_ the rest of her with it, its tugging making her feel sick and stretched inside. The only thing that Robin could think to do was tug back, and she did, mentally severing any ties she had with the energy. Suddenly, just as soon as it had started, the sick feeling stopped and she felt it flow out of her and shoot towards the fireplace, setting it alight.

"Is that your power?" D had asked. "Can you control fire?" She remembered answering him and then feeling sick… Her memory dimmed here and she remembered drinking some lukewarm water before either sinking back into unconsciousness or falling asleep, either way it didn't matter, she was awake now.

Robin's eyelids fluttered open and took in her surroundings. A fire burned softly in the fireplace and a large, black shadowed figure sat in front of it with it's back to her. She could no longer hear even the muffled thrashing as raindrops hurled themselves at the windows which could mean either that it had stopped raining or that the intensity of it had lessened, dropping the volume to a level that could be blocked out by the inn's special walls and windows. Although she was sure that only her eyelids had moved to signify that she had woken D seemed to be aware that this was so and spoke to her without turning around.

"You have a concussion, most likely from somewhere during the ride here," he said. "It is unlikely that we will be able to continue travel for at least another night." Knowing that he disliked travelling with others Robin had thought that perhaps D would have been somewhat angered but she could detect no trace of emotion in his voice. Even though it hadn't been her fault she couldn't help but feel embarrassed that she was jeopardising the mission already, however she was feeling much better and they should still be able to leave tomorrow as planned.

"Oh," Robin said. "Well I'm much better now." It was true too. The dizziness and nausea had vanished completely and she felt in full health. Gingerly she reached for that reservoir of power at the back of her mind and found it full and perfectly normal. D turned his head around to look at her, a mild expression of surprise on his features.

"Concussion can be a serious thing," he said. "I would much spare a day and let you rest to full health than press on out of foolishness only to have it strike again in a more serious circumstance." Robin blushed a little out of anger. Who did he think he was, her mother?

"I'm _fine_," she said coolly. How would the others back at STNJ react if they knew the mission had been delayed a whole day just because she'd gotten a little knock around the head? D seemed to stare at her an age before bowing his head in agreement.

"If that is what you truly think to be best…" he said, leaving her one last chance to back out.

"It is," Robin said firmly. "We _will_ leave tomorrow as planned." The strength of this statement was somewhat undermined by Robin's stomach as it gave a growl of hunger, easily detectable in this silent atmosphere.

"You need food," D said. "We will dine in the tavern downstairs, they serve reasonable food and a passable local brew." Robin got the impression that this was high praise coming from D.

Dinner was a solemn affair, the most uncomfortable time for Robin being as they waited to be brought plates and cutlery. D on the other hand seemed used to the silence. The inn worked on a buffet sort of style self-service system, which meant that the patrons could eat as much as they liked but as the food was cheap it would cost the inn barely anything. As most of the patrons had already eaten an hour beforehand, the only remaining food being cooling leftovers under a heating lamp that had been recently turned off. It didn't take long for them to be served crockery but when it was Robin was more than ready to start. With neither saying much she filled her bowl with soup and piled up her plate with samples of various dishes before taking a side plate for a generous slice of the inn's speciality, Lemon cheesecake. She had the feeling that once seated she would not be wanting to move so, juggling plates and bowls she made her way back to the table. It was only when she was about to sit down that Robin realised what had happened. With the area being entirely empty they could have sat down anywhere. Instead they were sitting at a table for six with D at one end and Robin at the other. It was like she had subconsciously responded to a vibe from D that said, 'do not sit next to me' or something. Shaking her head slightly to clear it brought no nausea for which she was glad, as she purposely placed her bowls and plates onto the table and sat down in the chair to his left. D himself, she noticed, had not moved from his seat and yet somehow there was glass next to him and on his plate lay a simple pile of white rice. There was a pause in which Robin thought that he was going to make an objection but instead he stayed his words and kept to his usual silence. Although she never saw him actually eat by the end of the meal the rice seemed to have been disturbed but she was unsure as to when he had actually eaten. Dinner was over in a manner of minutes but suffice to say that it was not the most pleasant of meals that she'd ever had. No blame could be placed on the food itself for although cheap it was well prepared and tasty; the soup thankfully still hot although Robin was now considerably warmer than she had been when she'd first stumbled in. Robin was used to eating in silence from many meals taken this way at the monastery but there was a different quality to this silence, a watchful sort of awareness that there was only the two of them present and as the D himself ate little and said nothing it made it all the more harder for her to swallow.

When they finally got back up to their room Robin grabbed some of her stuff from he bag which was still lying beside the door and made for the common showers which she had noticed on her way up. After a long, hot shower and some vigorous scrubbing Robin went back to her room and closed the door, not saying a word to D who was sitting on the floor as she passed him. She stayed there for some time with the curtains pulled back and the lights off watching the rain she could no longer hear until the last of the grey light faded and her eyelids had begun to droop. Even without a clock she could tell that it was nearing eleven o'clock as she made her way to say goodnight into the main room that also happened to be D's bedroom, using the golden crack of light from under the door to guide her.

"You are well rested then?" D asked from his place on the floor as she entered the room. Robin frowned, had he not moved then, since she had last seen him?

"Yes," she said, waiting for him to continue. When he did not, it was she that was forced to say something.

"Uh ok, well…good night then" Robin said, turning towards the door.

D turned his face to the side and blinked in surprise.

"Good night" he said, still entirely decked out in his armour and cape, the light reflecting off his long, burgundy-tinted hair and the wicked curve of his shoulder spikes. Robin was half way out before she stopped. She didn't know what made her stop although it was probably something about the way he was just sitting motionless on the floor. There was something unsettling about people who stayed so still all of the time.

"Uh, aren't you going to..you know, get ready for bed?" she asked. Another blink.

"I rarely sleep."

"Oh, ok" Robin said, feeling a little awkward as if she'd just said something she shouldn't have. The golden light in the room didn't seem to reflect off his skin; instead it avoided it, making his face look thinner and more sallow than usual. "Aren't you hungry?" Robin sort of blurted out; completely unaware that she was going to say anything until the words were already on their way out, maybe it came from too many years cleaning and feeding the monks at the monastery. He had after all, eaten near nothing at supper.

"No." D said. "I thank you, but I rarely eat, and even if I did wish to eat there would be no food of mine available here." Robin paused again, come to think of it, she'd never seen him eat anything, unless you count picking at rice eating, only drink ale and water.

"Well, good night then," she said before realising that she'd already just said that. D didn't answer so she just turned on her heel and went back into her room, all the while suppressing the urge to flee. Once she was safely inside she cursed herself for being so stupid. Of course it was none of her business what the hunter did, all she was here to do was represent STNJ and use her knowledge of the craft to help out where necessary. All the same though, that was no reason to be so _cold_.

"She's a strange one," D's left hand said, after the door had been closed firmly behind them. D gave a small shrug.

"She has, _had_ a concussion, it is to be expected."

"And asking you if you would like to eat something, you don't think she knows do you?" Left asked. "Because that would mean…"

"She wouldn't have asked if she knew," D said, cutting Left off halfway through as he had a habit of doing. Sometimes when Left got a little too carried away it was necessary to interrupt.

"Right, right," said Left, not taking any notice of the hint to end the conversation.

"I didn't think so, but she's gonna find out eventually-she's a bright kid and she's going to notice if you don't eat for this whole journey so you might as well tell her now… What was with that whole rarely eating thing anyway? You and I both know that you _never_ eat, you can't- seeing as the only thing you feel hunger for is blood," Left continued, giving a chortle at the end as if he found D's predicament quite amusing. D would have glared at Left had he been another person, as he was not and it was rather impractical to glare at one's own hand he contented with abruptly placing his hand in the bowl of water that they had used before. Left gave a loud statement of protest at such treatment but it was drowned out beneath the water. Ah, silence at last.

Eeek, sorry. Yet again somehow I have managed to avoid explaining what it is D is expected to do and why he's been hired. This chapter was getting too long and it's already in two parts as it is so I thought I had better finish it now. However I promise explain stuff in the next chapter over breakfast, which will have a considerably more cheerful (well about as cheerful as it can get) atmosphere and you get to see why the Sign of the Three Lemons has all this nice, lemony stuff and is set up pretty much in the middle of nowhere. That, of course, is rather beside the point but as the focus in this chapter was mainly on Robin the next one will be mainly on D!

Just another footnote: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. Lol.


	5. Chapter 4 Part 1 Deep Sleep

AND HERE IT IS… Dun dun dun…. Chapter 4!

Sorry about the wait but I have been very busy of late what with me taking up rowing amongst other things… Anyway Lol, this is probably a bit worrying but I've actually never completely finished a story in my life (a long one that is) but I will try to keep this going as long as I can.

Please not that this update is just the first part of Chapter 4 (as requested by Aeryon Sun) because I decided that it was about time to update even if it means just putting up what I've got so far. Also, the explaining I promised will make a clearer appearance in the second half (and not just because I've forgotten about it!)

Also, I have just allowed anonymous reviews to be posted which I hadn't even realised I was blocking until I was given a review that said I would probably get more reviews if I allowed anonymous ones. Thanks! I'm sorry if you'd wanted to review but couldn't be bothered logging in… I didn't know that I was stopping some people from reviewing as this is my first kind of time and I'm still learning! Any hints or comments like that are welcome especially if they point out something useful. Anyway enough delay and here it is. Finally, a chapter where some explaining will be done

Chapter 4 Part 1

Deep Sleep 

D slept for maybe an hour or so altogether, a decent amount of time for a guy who usually had trouble getting to sleep, even if his 'sleep' consisted of him hovering just across the line that bordered the waking from the dreaming. Being a dunpeal meant that neither sleeping during the day nor through the night seemed perfectly right, instead, he had trained himself to sleep when it was necessary and wake when the time was right. His hearing was such that even through the specially built walls of The Sign of the Three Lemons he could hear Robin's breathing as it evened out and slowed until she had fallen completely asleep. Timing his own breathing to the regular rhythm of hers he managed to slow his brainwaves and relax himself sufficiently in order to be able to slip into the restless state he knew as sleeping. When dunpeals fall asleep it is said that they know not the rest of true, deep sleep, but instead dream dark dreams, same as those so-called 'full vampires.' Even when he dreamed, D knew that he was dreaming, but could not control what happened and was forced to follow where his dreams led, and they always led to the same place: the castle where he had grown up, now nothing more than an abandoned ruin. Ever since the destruction of the ghost of the former bloody vampire queen Camilla, the bonds that had held it together for thousands of years had crumbled, and D had been there to watch with distaste and a curious sense of satisfaction as the monstrous monument to vampirism was finally reduced to the rubble it deserved to be. The last time he had visited had been on business, his prey having fled to the Castle of Chaste to seek the protection of Camilla herself. His prey had been Meier Link, the vampire lord who had been seeking to run to the fabled City of the Night with his beloved Catherine, a mortal girl who D had been sent to recover. D rarely thought about things any deeper than the task at hand, it saved him from going mad, but every time he thought about the pair of them he felt a confusing rush of combined sickness, sadness and disturbance. Sick to think that if they had stayed here, another dunpeal could have resulted, another twisted, half-creature born into an already messed up world. Sad to think that it had not been her fault that she loved a vampire, she had been but a child, as innocent as Meier was guilty. Disturbed to think that something that pure could love something that lived by killing off her own kind. His own mother had done so and he had never quite forgiven her for bringing in him into the world. He wasn't self-loathing exactly but saw himself as being tainted, only good for the hunting of other, darker souls. Disturbed that Meier could love her back… Now it wasn't that D didn't see the irony in this as he too went around associating with the 'other' kind, but he saw his mission as a kind of personal crusade, his aim; to eradicate vampires from the world entirely. It would take a long, long time but D did not see it to be impossible, after all, he had all the time in the world-literally.

When D woke it was still dark out but his internal, biological clock told him that the sky would begin to lighten in approximately one and a half hours and so there was no point in attempting to go back to sleep, nor was there any need. He was already well rested although tense and as he let his muscles unwind themselves from the rigid state they took when in nightmare, his mind turned to the girl asleep in the next room over. Another advantage, or disadvantage depending on how you looked at it, of being an dunpeal was that human emotions were more easily detected and Robin, despite being a 'craft-user' was still a human. In the bar something odd had happened. D had felt a strange probing sensation like nothing he had ever felt before. It was like he was a high-tech safe-box and something, or rather, someone, was attempting to prise him open using a crude instrument like a crowbar and felt that they could break in by the sheer amount of force exerted. Years of fighting against the paranormal merged with the natural instinct of a hunter to assume he was being attacked and so D's instant reaction to throw up his mental guards was understandable. Then all of a sudden the pressure was gone, as if some barrier had been penetrated and instead all he could feel was a sort of indescribable calm, a sense of contentment like he'd never felt before. His inner restlessness was soothed and he fell still. Much time passed and yet none at all until he felt that he had either completed a full circuit or merely turned around on the spot so that he was back from whence he came. Pictures now registered in front of dazed eyes and D felt his old self wrest control from the placid mind and slip back into a world where he was still restless and time definitely mattered. Once again he was aware of Robin at the edge of his mind, her presence flitting around the edge of his consciousness like a phantasm of imagination. "Follow me," he'd said as he made his way through the crowd, although never turning around, always aware that she was right behind him.

She had been aware of a growing brightness behind her eyelids but had been reluctant to wake up. At last, when she could take lying idly no longer she sat upright in bed and opened her eyes. The world that she saw was a strange place and for a moment she wondered just where it was she was. Light was pouring in from a window to her right, its curtains providing no defence against the morning as they had been carelessly left open the night before. Patiently she waited for her memory to come back and it did, but slowly and grudgingly as if it had no choice and she was dragging old parchments into the fresh sunlight. There was a hunter… her mind wandered a little more until they came to rest upon a name. D, she remembered D. The ride, the horse ride in the rain, she remembered that too. The dinner last night and more pictures of the hunter flashed through her head giving her just enough time to view each one before it was gone. Her mission, Robin's brows furrowed slightly in concentration. She had been sent by STNJ to do something. Vague details interjection in story: like my oxymoron? wafted back and she snatched at them in vain like a child trying to catch wisps of smoke as they slipped through it's fingers.

What was happening? Again she tried to recall the information she'd been given, she remembered the brief, the folder…but nothing more. Robin surged out of bed; her unbound hair flying in a way it normally would not as she hurtled out of the room and into the main room where D was standing.

"Something's wrong," she gasped, "I can't remember my mission."

Aaaaaaaand, that's it. Lol, sorry but I haven't had time to finish it but its getting there… add my story to your favourites so that you'll be notified when I add the second part of Chapter 4!

AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW! LOL


	6. Chapter 4 Part 2 Earthshaker

Lol Hi Guys! I know it's been a while but I am trying…promise! (This is a nice way to start the New Year!) I know I'm kinda running around a straight storyline but it is meant to be kind of a mystery you know so…it's ok.. right? In this 2nd part of Chapter 4 there are clues relating as to what it is that's going wrong and screwing up the weather etc. Something dangerous is afoot and our two protagonists are about to be caught right up in the thick of it. This 2nd half is called 'Earthshaker' and if you just bother to read it you'll find out why! Watch out for Chapter 5 'Twisted' and don't forget to **review!**

Chapter 4 part 2

'Earthshaker'

Even before she came out D could feel that something was wrong. Peacefulness had turned to confusion, then desperateness, and then panic. He had but moments to process all this before she came flying through the door, words gasping out as she did.

"You can't remember?" D asked, evidently a rhetorical question, as it was obvious by the distraught expression on her face that this was true. He stood up and for a moment Robin thought he was about to help her to her seat until she realised that the standing up part was the full extent of his motion. After Robin had seated herself across from D he reached into one of his many pockets and withdrew a slim black case just slightly longer than the length from the tip of Robin's middle finger to the heel of her palm. The case was fitted with a circle lock magically spelled only to open for a particular individual, cheap to make but essentially effective. As D flicked open the catch and went about unthreading the circle Robin caught a flash of bright orange magic in the corner of her eye as the metal wire transformed itself into a length of orange silk ribbon. She recognised the colour immediately, Alwyn had spelled this particular lock, which meant that the case had been given to D by either Alwyn herself or through STNJ. She never got the chance to ask which however because it was answered for her in his next statement.

"This was given to me by a craft user after the name of Alwyn of the Weir Sisters that watch the villages just west of Laytmaar Lake. She said it contained all she knew about the force growing just beyond the scope of the Northern Veil, affecting both the wind, water and the earth itself."

Robin nodded, Alwyn had mentioned that she had something that Robin should see but as the current weather conditions had made travel much more difficult and dangerous than usual she would have asked the hunter to collect it on his way down south to give to Robin.

"There was one other thing," D said quietly, pausing with the ribbon in his hand. "Something about an Earthshaker."

"An Earthshaker?" Stirrings of something flickered in Robin's mind but they passed by without her gripping what they meant.

"What an Earthshaker?"

"That was," D said mildly, "what you were meant to tell _me_." Wordlessly he flipped open and spun the case around so that Robin could see what was inside. The box turned out to have more space inside than it looked from the outside and was divided into three sections. Small neat rolls of blank parchment tied with different coloured ribbons and strings lay in the left compartment. To the left nestled in orange tissue were small crystals, vials filled with both clear and murky liquid, mini ceramic pots with unknown contents but runes burned into their cork stoppers and an extremely fragile looking piece of fine white chalk. But by far the most important and intriguing item contained by the box lay in the centre compartment. It was a small, dark green velvet drawstring bag, like the kind you use to hold jewellery.

"Open it," D said, and Robin gave a start. The bag looked dark green to anyone else but to her it was positively alive and jumping with sparkly purple runes of warning, wards against damage, words of protection, containment, dampening and limiting that flowed over and around the bag like so much liquid starfire. Unlike everything else that held the distinct imprint of her friend Alwyn's handiwork, someone else had worked this particular piece with a foreign looking magic.

"It's warded," she said to D. "And heavily so…we'll need to take some precautions." Normally she would have glanced towards D for some kind of unconscious permission but this was her field and the words were already whispering themselves into her ear about what it was she needed to do. Clearing a space on the table she picked up the chalk and drew a careful, near perfect circle of white on the wood, except she didn't close it. Next she unplugged one of the ceramic pots, and used the in-built peaked edge to trail a fine circle of pale sand just outside the chalk one, again stopping just before the circle was closed. D watched with a sort of restrained fascination as lines of rock salt, crushed glass and finally, jagged fragments of quartz were added.

"So what does that do?" D asked. He hadn't really intended say anything really but his curiosity had got the better of him. It wasn't every day that he saw something he hadn't seen before. Robin looked up at him from behind the coffee table.

"It's five of the nine white lines of protection against dark earth magic," she said, gesturing at the table. "Most protection circles require only three, or at the most four but whoever charmed the velvet bag thought more necessary and specifically requested five. See how the size of the particles grows as the circle grows? The inner circle is of fine chalk whereas the outer is of quartz. The quartz has more brute strength but the chalk is more leak-proof, if that makes any sense," she said. "The white is for purity, protection and cleansing and will help protect us from any ill effects," Robin added. Silence greeted her. Unaware that she had been looking at the table rather than D she tilted her head up to look at him only to see that he was regarding her with a most curious expression on his face. It was gone in an instant of course but later on reflecting upon that moment she would think him to have been puzzled, or at least slightly dazed. Now that his expression had changed back to its normal state Robin found it uncomfortable to just be staring at each other so she quickly glanced down and made a fuss of arranging the pots in order for easier recognition once the item had been placed in the centre and the circles had to be closed.

"For, for this next help I might need you part," she said, feeling uneasy. "Wait! I mean, for this next part I might need your help," Robin blushed slightly but as her head was tilted down she hoped D couldn't see.

"What is it that you need me to do?" D asked, and Robin inwardly cringed. Why did everything he said have to sound so important and dramatic?

"Its not that hard" Robin said. "My hands have to be _inside_ the circle for this to work. I can cross the white circles no problem as long as they're open. Once I have the necklace inside you'll have to complete the circles. I've ordered the pots so you don't have to pause to check what's inside each," Robin said, her voice making it sound like a question.

"I understand," D said, crossing over to her side of the table in two strides before placing himself next to her. Robin glanced worryingly at D's gauntlets. The pots were so small and fragile and his hands were large and armoured…this was a delicate operation… Almost in answer to her unspoken question D picked up the chalk lightly in preparation for when he'd have to use it.

"Ok," Robin breathed out, reaching for the box.

Upon lifting the bag up she discovered that it was much heavier than it had any right to be, but that was to be expected. The bag could not be left in a completed purification circle as it would strip away the protection wards and charms already embedded in it. That meant that she'd have to take whatever was inside out first. She placed her left hand open palmed in the middle of her circles and, taking a deep breath, upended the bag onto her palm in one swift motion. Out tumbled a silverish pendant of a kind, soon followed by the fine chain to which it was attached which flowed fluidly down to rest in a pool on her palm. From the moment it fell out Robin recognised what it was, and from the moment it touched her skin she knew that something was wrong. Clapping her hands together Robin enclosed the necklace in a barrier of flesh.

"Go" she said gaspingly to D, who quickly complied. He worked fast and efficiently as he leaned over to reach the gaps that had been placed directly in front of her so that her arms could go through easily. As his bulk blocked her view of the circle she tried not to think about the ache that had sprung up in her jaw or strange rattling sensation of the bones in her hands. However the ache and rattling died further and further away as D completed more circles until all she could feel was a distant hum in the tips of her fingers. Now that she had an unobstructed view of the pendant she hoped she could identify the source of the negative energy and some possible makers of such a thing. Even more than that she hoped that a close inspection might spark up some important memories. The pendant was unpolished silver in the shape of a stylised tree whose branches flowed into a complicated tangle, like the Celtic designs of old that eventually looped back to the beginning and could have been made with a single piece of thread. Around the tree ran the lines of a perfect triangle like an arrow pointing down, or at least, that's how it was meant to be.

"This is the sign of the element for Earth, used by the mountain people- re…remnants of past civilisations that still clung to the old ways and religions," she said. "But it's, it's been _perverted_" she said for lack of a better word, dropping it onto the table where it made a curious high sound as it hit the wood, much unlike the thunk sound a normal pendant would have made. It still looked the same but something was wrong, it was like, like the pendant was crying out in pain.

Lol that's it for now but be sure to read 'Twisted' when it comes out! ;-) Well cya guys next chapter! And REVIEW!

(P.S: The breakfast bit I promised at the end of Chapter 3 is still coming up along with the lemon-related things from the 'Sign of the Three Lemons')


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